52 ox THE AGKICULTUEE OF THE COUNTY OF SUTHERLAND. 



East Brora and the grazing farm of Grumbie, wliich is stocked 

 with Cheviot sheep. The farms of Torboll and Coul are care- 

 fully managed by Mr George M. Ross, the one being rented at 

 £455 and the other at £290. Both these farms are worked on 

 the five-shift rotation, and give about 3-^ to 4 qrs. of barley 

 and oats per acre; the former weighing from 52 lbs. to 56 lbs. 

 per bushel, and the latter from 40 lbs. to 42 lbs. Turnips, wdiich 

 yield well, are usually allowed from 16 to 20 loads of farm- 

 yard manure per acre, along with from 5 to 7 cwt. of arti- 

 ficial manure. All the fences (dykes principally) have been 

 renewed on these farms within the last two years ; the proprietor 

 erecting the dykes and the tenant driving the materials. Mr 

 Eoss also holds grazing land stocked with a ewe stock of 

 Cheviots, and he consumes most of his turnips with his own 

 sheep. The parish of Golspie may perhaps be said to be the 

 best agricultural district in the county. Since 1874 its valua- 

 tion has increased from £5343 to £6179, of which £5136 are 

 drawn by the Duke of Sutherland. His Grace has two farms 

 in the parish in his own hands, — Dunrobm IMams and Ehives. 

 The Mains extends to 650 acres, of which 240 acres are farmed 

 on the five-shift lotation. The soil is good, chiefly loam and 

 admixture of clay. It is farmed on the most advanced prin- 

 ciples by Mr John Blake, His Grace's experienced manager, and 

 yields excellent crops of barley, oats, and turnips. Barley 

 yields about 5 qrs. per acre, and weighs on an average 54 lbs. 

 per bushel ; and oats about 6 qrs., and weighs 42 lbs. The 

 other 410 acres lie out in permanent pasture, and afford a most 

 luxuriant supply of grass. This land is divided into fields of 

 tlifferent size, and is well fenced. About 600 Cheviot sheep 

 are kept, and depend entirely on grass. Two-thirds of the ewes 

 nurse twin-lambs, and the wethers at two years old average 

 21 lbs. per quarter. Ehives extends to 120 acres. It is a drier 

 loam, and yields heavier grain by 1 lb. to 2 lbs. per bushel than 

 Dunrobin Mains. At the latter farm a fine herd of West High- 

 land cattle is kept, including about forty cows ; and in addition 

 to these it carries thirty cross cows. The young stock are 

 usually sold fat at high prices when about two years old. From 

 these two farms His Grace usually sends some excellent animals 

 to the principal English and Scotch fat stock shows. The farm 

 of Culmaily, occupied by Mr P. P. Sellar, and rented at £746, 

 is well situated near Golspie. This farm, as already stated, was 

 leased by Mr Patrick Sellar, father of the present tenant, about 

 1809, and by him the greater part of it was reclaimed. It now 

 extends to about 400 acres, beautifully laid off in sixteen fields, 

 and all fenced with dykes. The greater part consists of a black 

 loamy soil, there being some spots of moss and some of clay. 

 The subsoil all through is of a sandy nature. Worked on the 



